Remember to wear flowers in your hair
by Sally Boat
Summary: Booth and Brennan are on a case in San Francisco that is full of many interesting surprises for both parties involved...BB
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bones.

**Author's Note: **This is my first fan fic - a term I have just recently heard of. Would love to know what you guys think and if I should continue with this. Gracias..

"Okay, so I've narrowed it down…I…think…Episode V is the most superior."

Zack bunched his cheeks into a satisfied smile at the decision he finally made. He stared at Hodgins.

"Jesus man, I waited for like, four hours, for you to tell me the most obvious statement that every Star Wars fan makes. So not worth it." Hodgins snorted and shook his head as he sifted through some slime and dirt products on his counter. The Jeffersonian Institute was extremely quiet. Everyone was pleased on this Friday evening at the prospect of actually having an easy and relaxing time at work. Even Dr. Brennan had been smiling around the place that was until Agent Booth made his way into her office.

"No, no, no Booth, I am not, I repeat, not going with you to San Francisco. Not even if the Jeffersonian try to make me. For once I actually want to spend my weekend doing something other than travelling for hours and sleeping in grotty motel rooms…"

Booth pursed his lips. All he had asked her was to go for a trip this weekend. Why did she always know there was something more to it? Did he even mention San Francisco? He shook himself out of his confusion.

"Right, okay, simmer down Bones – sheesh…"

"Don't call me…"

"…Bones…yea, I know. But you're…Bones, you know?" He smiled weakly.

"No, I don't know. Yes I study bones, I look at bones all day, I clean and analyse bones, I store them away – I really don't see what that has to do with my name." She glared at him.

She was standing in front of her desk, her hands behind her pressing her weight on to it. Her lab coat was flung open. Underneath she wore a pair of dark blue jeans and a simple cream blouse; the top three buttons were undone, exposing the top of her cleavage, which was slightly protruding because of the pressure she was applying to her stance. Booth scanned her up and down for a moment; his dark eyes catching her breathing chest.

"Look Bones, I wouldn't ask you to give up your precious weekend with Dick 341 David whatever…"

"For your information I don't plan to see David this weekend, nor any time soon…"

"A ha! All the more reason to come. Look, I need your expertise. Do you not even wanna' look at the case?" He shook the brown manila folder in front of her, flashed his charm smile as he walked her, glimpsed her cleavage again with a cough, blinked and met her eyes as she bit the inside of her lip – she was thinking.

"Flattery won't get you anywhere Booth, or your cheesy grin." She said flatly as she snatched the folder from his hand and began to read.

"Hey!" he said, holding his hands out in defence, "You said my smile was charming."

Still staring at the folder and never faltering she said, "I never said your smile was charming, I said you had a 'charm smile'."

"Same thing!" He retorted.

"It is not the same thing, plus I referred to your 'grin' in the latter matter - Are these teeth marks?" she asked, standing up straight pointing at the picture of the victim and furrowing her brow. Booth came around to her right side to look at the photograph.

"Where Bones?" he said, squinting and moving his head closer to the file.

"There…right there" she puffed, pointing to the skull of the victim. He still didn't see so she grabbed his forefinger and placed it on the point in question. She left her hand clasped around his finger for a moment. Their heads were so close they were practically touching. Booth could smell her scent, her skin. He could feel her hair brush the side of his neck and face. It tickled in a good way.

"Well?" she said, eye brows raised, finally letting his finger go and turning her entire body to face him. He turned too. He could feel the motion of her breathing she was that close, and she was the same with him. He knew she was boring a hole in his head as he stared down at the file.

"Yes, it looks like teeth marks" he finally answered, looking at her. Her eyes were intense on him, her mouth slightly ajar. She licked her lips and took the file back. He came around beside her again.

"As you can see from the pattern of these indentations, only a set of teeth could cause this, but it's too difficult to determine from a picture or even X-ray for that matter. The lighting in the photograph, the…" She stopped dead in her tracks. While Brennan had been talking, Booth involuntarily placed his hand on the small of her back, like a reflex motion. At her silence he immediately pulled his hand away for fear of it being broken.

"What?" he asked, swallowing and showing that his hands were completely removed. She caught all of his movements, from him glancing at her from the side of his eyes, while she studied the case file, to him placing his warm hand on her back and just as quickly removing it, leaving a coldness of sorts. A girlish glint flashed across her eyes as she smirked slightly and patted Booth's hand in mid-air and stole a glance in his direction. Focusing on the task at hand she continued,

"Booth, it looks as if this whole skeleton is covered in teeth marks, not just the skull…"

He looked at her confused, back at the picture, bit his bottom lip, and then back at her. _Three seconds more_ he thought.

"I need to see the body."

A huge grin spread across his face, and a delighted smugness extended through him. He knew she couldn't resist these cases, what with her mania for the truth.

"San Francisco here we come," he announced as he helped her gather her supplies and closed the case folder over.

"Our flight leaves in three hours." He said, pushing her out the office door into the lab.

"What? How did you know I was going to say yes?" she asked, shuffling backward along the floor.

"I have ways and means Bones, ways and means…" he said with a wink.

"Don't wink at me, it's gross."

"It's gross? How can winking be gross?" He was intrigued by this one.

"Sweetie, hey, where are you going?" Angela called from the upper foreground of the lab. "On a date?" She smiled hopefully.

"Booth has informed me of a new case that needs attention Ange."

Booth was practically pushing Brennan over. She stopped and glared at him to stop pushing her. They were standing next to the exit.

"And where is this new case, you seem awfully rushed?" Angela asked, as she descended the stairs to the lower ground of the lab.

"It's in San Francisco" Booth said, "And our plane is in two hours fifty six minutes so we really have to…"

"San Fran, my man – good choice" Hodgins appeared holding a container full of some sort of fecal looking matter.

"It wasn't a choice, okay, like a holiday destination" Booth snapped.

Hodgins' eyes widened but he was mostly unfazed.

"Where's Zach?" Brennan asked, her eyes searching for him.

"He's trying to figure out if Han Solo is better in Star Wars IV or V – Of course it's going to be V man – he gets frozen in carbon" Hodgins shook his head at the fact there even could be a different answer or debate about it. Angela just rolled her eyes.

"Well, good to know that my assistant will be working constructively while I'm gone" she said mildly but for everyone else it sounded very sharp.

"Don't worry sweetie, "Angela began, "We'll sort Zach out. Well, I'll sort Zach out…" she raised an eye brow in Hodgins' direction.

"Okay" Booth burst in, "Great, you're all sorted, now can we please go?" he was pleading with Brennan, his palms face up.

"Yes" she said plainly, as he ushered her out the door.

"Have fun, don't do anything I wouldn't do and remember to wear flowers in your hair…" Angela sang after her. She was sure she heard the faint mumbles of Brennan saying 'I don't know what that means' she smiled, knowing Booth would tell her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bones.

**Author's note**: Just want to say a huge thank you to all the reviewers – was so not expecting such a great response – I sincerely appreciate you taking the time out to read and review. A little note on this chapter – Firstly it is 04:14am, so tiredness may make it quite trite. Secondly, I went somewhere completely different with this than I had originally intended (and somehow that original intention has been lost) so this is what has been created. I hope that you all can read and review again, and that it's as enjoyable. O, one question - what do the ratings mean? i.e. K, M etc. What do they stand for? Can someone help?...

Neither Brennan, nor Booth slept on the six hour plane journey, so were in no mood or frame of mind to go traipsing around a crime scene. Booth had it on good authority, anyway, that the cops here actually slept at night so there would probably be no one there anyway. He had taken the liberty of booking a local motel in Crissy Field, near the crime scene area via F.B.I. expenses, before they left. The fog was thick and the air was crisp as they exited the hired silver S.U.V. on arrival at the motel.

"Oi…" Brennan let out a sigh as she slung her backpack over her left shoulder. She had removed her coat during the car journey but had started shivering as soon as she got out of the car. Booth was feeling exactly the same as her as he felt a chill from the nippy air. They quickly entered the freezing lobby. A clerk directed a porter to take them to their rooms. Brennan walked in front of Booth, rubbing the back of her neck with her left hand and making moaning sounds, letting him glimpse her sallow, supple skin and black bra strap, under that same cream blouse. He swallowed hard, his breath catching in his throat. The images that were floating through his head were never to be disclosed. _Never_, he thought as he tried to push them out with thoughts of Cam, Rebecca, anyone other than the woman in front of him. It really wasn't working.

"What do you mean there's only one room??" Brennan snapped at the porter, jostling Booth out of his sexual stupor, his body stopping dangerously close behind hers.

"I do beg your pardon mamm, but this is all we have for this evening" the older man replied.

"Look, I specifically ordered two rooms today; a special request from the F.B.I.?" Booth stammered out, his thoughts of his partner finally starting to subside.

"I can only apologise sir. This is the one and only available room." The porter slunk away, down the corridor.

Brennan's face was crimson and contorted as they entered the room.

"Relax Bones" Booth breathed, "So we'll have to share the same room, at least it's not the same b…" Booth trailed off as both their eyes caught the one double bed in the centre of the room.

"You were saying?" Brennan hissed as she rolled her eyes and set her bags on a chair. All those thoughts that had miraculously disappeared from his brain were now getting more graphic as he stared at the bed. He closed his eyes tight. Brennan gave him a sideways glare.

"You did book two rooms, right? Or is this your idea of a joke Booth, 'cause it's not…" He cut her off,

"Of course I booked two rooms Bones!" he spat, glaring right back at her, his mouth tight. Hers was soft. God, he had to stop looking at her lips, her body, her!

"Fine!" she retorted.

"Fine!" he murmured, feeling somewhat like an eight year old.

"Look, all I want to do is get some rest, I am completely exhausted." Brennan sighed. She was feeling so tired that she didn't even have the energy to stand up, so she slumped on the bed. _Why in the world did I say I would come here?_ She thought, as she rubbed her eyes and lay back. The softness of the duvet felt like the best thing in the world right now. She breathed heavily, momentarily forgetting that Booth was a few feet away.

"Ahem," he faux coughed, "How are we to…hem…to this?" Booth managed to get out, his eyes looking anywhere but the bed where Temperance Brennan lay, for fear of mentally undressing her. Who was he kidding, he was already doing that. She sat up, straight, taken aback by his question.

"How do we do…what, exactly?" Brennan's brow furrowed, trying to figure out his meaning.

"The sleeping together..." _dammit!_

She shot him a look, her face slightly flushing – she could feel her breathing get heavier at the thought.

"I mean…" he quickly recovered, "the sleeping arrangements. How do we sort that?" he asked with his shoulders and his hands in his pockets. _I am so stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…_

"Well…" she began, trying to process the situation; that being made even more difficult by the fact that Booth was starting to take his shirt and tie off.

"What are you doing?" she asked, cocking her right eyebrow up and slightly moving her head to the side.

"Changing; what's it look like I'm doing?" he rivalled her look as he moved to his shoes and socks. He stood in his work pants and white wife beater. Brennan could see the definition of his muscles under his vest – they were much improved from the last time she had seen them, she noticed. _He is definitely well proportioned_, she mused.

"Well?" Booth asked, as he walked on his tip-toes to the bathroom, carrying his bag with him. The floor was icy cold.

"Ah…" she began, "well, since I'm the weaker sex, the female, I believe I should have the bed." She said resolutely, nodding at the door that Booth had closed behind him. She began taking off her boots when the door flung open. He stood in a pair of Disney pyjama bottoms, Mickey Mouse and Goofy standing out, his wife beater removed. A tooth brush was protruding from his mouth.

"ught?" he said, staring at her.

"What?" Brennan asked, unable to decipher his words, and stifling a laugh at his pants.

"That's what I said, what?" he said again, this time removing the tooth brush and walking towards her. "And what are you smirking at?" he inquired, looking around him and checking his pants.

"Nothing" Brennan tried her best to straighten her face. It had seemed to work. She continued taking her boots off.

"Hold on a second. There is no way in hell that I am going to have you cite chivalry as a reason for you to have the bed"

"I am not citing chivalry Booth; it's the best anthropological and most logical choice, considering that women carry offspring."

"What?! No way, you are not going to…anthropologicalize or logicalize your way out of this – really, there is no good reason why I shouldn't have the bed. And there is no chance that I'm going to believe that you have any stock in chivalry because I know that you consider it the 'Alpha male syndrome'" He squared his shoulders, completely and utterly proud of his argument. She had to admit it; she really didn't have a case in logic there, and for Brennan, that was the only case.

"Fine" she actually admitted defeat. She was just so tired she had stopped caring.

Booth was miffed, widening his eyes – had he actually won against Bones and her logic? He narrowed them soon after.

"No, not fine" he said.

"What? Booth, look, fine, you can have the bed, I'll have the floor, I really just need to sleep" She found extra blankets and pillows in the cupboard on the far wall and started carrying them to the floor.

"Hey, Bones look, I'll do that, and I'll take the floor. You sleep in the bed." He said, taking the bed clothes off her, starting to feel guilty that she was actually gonna' sleep on the floor.

"No" she snatched them back off him, "You're right Booth, it is Alpha male, and there's no reason why I should have the bed more than you should." She said tiredly, flinging the blankets on the ground.

"Sheesh, for once just stop being so stubborn. Take the bed – I'll take the floor!" he glared at her. She pouted and crossed her arms under her breasts. She wasn't going anywhere that was until she was hoisted right off the ground, as if she were a feather and over Booth's naked chest and shoulder. He was warm and his muscles were tensed. Before she could protest she was already on the bed and staring up at her partner staring back at her from his dark browns. Her hands were to her sides; she felt so helpless but not at all threatened; her mouth slightly ajar. Her breathing was shallow. She glanced down to notice that another one of her buttons had opened at the top of her blouse, exposing her underwear. Booth caught where her eyes went and followed, until his jaw tensed. He stood straight and moved to his makeshift bed. Brennan let out a silent sigh and made her way to the bathroom, bag en tow, to change for bed. There of course, was an awkward silence as she exited the bathroom and made her way to the bed. Booth was shifting under his blankets at the foot of the bed, trying to get comfortable on an uncomfortable floor. He glanced at her as she climbed over the bed, wearing a light stringy vest top and a pair of jogging bottoms. She switched the light off, at her bedside, throwing the room into blackness. She stared through it. It was silent, and cold. She just hoped sleep would come.

"Goodnight Booth" she said, as she closed her eyes.

"Goodnight Bones" the voice from the floor replied. She smiled, as she started relaxing, finally. However, she could hear a strange noise, although very faint, it was distinct. Her curious mind furrowed her brow not for the first time. Her eyes were still closed. She pulled the covers from around her face and tilted her ear to where the sound was coming from. _What is that?_ She sat up, and moved her body closer to the bottom of the bed. The noise was getting louder. Her eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness as she felt along the bed covers to the end of the bed. It was definitely getting louder.

"Booth" she whispered. The noise dissipated.

"Yea?" he whispered back. She was a bit confused.

"I heard a noise but…I can't hear it anymore, it doesn't matter." She said, sitting up in the bed, wondering what it had been. Maybe it was just tiredness. But it started again.

"There it is!" she said, alert, and peeking over the edge of the bed at Booth. His body was curled up so tightly that it looked as if nothing could pry him from that state. She reached a hand to his side.

"Booth, are you okay?" she asked, as she felt his whole body shaking, realising that the noise was coming from her freezing partner.

"Yep" Booth managed, gritting his chattering teeth. Brennan sighed, bending nearly her whole body over the bottom end of the bed and tugging on his huge arms.

"What…are…you…doing?" Booth stammered out, but easing himself into her arms.

"Pulling you up onto the bed – you're going to freeze down there"

"I'm…fine…really…" he said, but he was already on the bed. Brennan pulled the rest of the blankets up over the top of the duvet, as he climbed into the warm bed. He was still shivering, but it was starting to subside. Brennan's eyes had completely adjusted to the darkness now and she could see Booth's profile lying beside her. She kept staring, fully awake now. There were only inches between them – their legs, arms, torsos, faces, lips.

Booth was so glad to be getting warmer. He couldn't believe how cold he had gotten so quickly. He blinked a few times in the darkness only to make out Bones' eyes staring at him. He could feel her breathing beside him, her lips were parted. The thoughts and images that he could never disclose were starting to creep back, this time in full force. He shifted himself an inch to the left, brushing his leg against hers.

"Sorry" he mumbled, as he fumbled to move, only to rest his hand on her chest. She squirmed and made a slight moan causing his embarrassment to go off the chart as he turned his back to her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean…" he trailed off.

"It's okay" Brennan said, quite embarrassed herself, biting her lip. She placed a hand on his back, close to his neck. He tensed automatically but then relaxed to her touch.

"Booth I…" she began. Booth still had his back to her but twisted his head round to face her, his cheek and lips brushing against the hand that was strewn on his body. It was so soft and warm; he loved the feel of it.

"Yea?" he asked, his big eyes looking over at her, lying beside him.

"We really should get some sleep. I mean, we have to get up so early" she tried to sound as logical and serious as she could. She could feel his breath on her fingers; the stubble on his face; the warmth radiating from him. She was using all of her energy not to curl up beside him, and place her hands all over him. He shifted his body to face her again, causing her to take her hand back. There was silence between them as they just stared at each other for a moment that felt like hours.

"Yea…" he said, "We do have to get up early…Goodnight Bones." He hesitated for a moment, thinking he caught a look of disappointment in her eyes, but he couldn't be sure in this lack of light, plus it was probably just his mind wanting to see that. He turned his body round again, his back to her.

"Goodnight booth" Brennan said softly, trying to stifle the feeling of disappointment. Why was she feeling like this? He was her partner, and her friend. He was annoying and egotistical. And he could make her catch her breath and lose her train of thought in a second. She sighed inwardly as she lay flat on her back, finally letting her eyes close and sleep envelope her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bones.

**Author's Note:** A huge, huge thank you to all who read and reviewed - seriously, you are spurring me on to keep writing. I cannot believe the feedback - so happy! A special thanks to Woat and Orla for their help with the ratings thing - think I'm gonna' have to change mine :) Well, this is a short one and it's carrying along with the same theme - the case will follow soon...

A crack of sunlight was peeking through the semi-open blind, caressing Temperance Brennan's face. She scrunched up her face as she blinked one eye open then the other. She was curled on her left side, in a foetal position; blankets and duvet submerging her. She looked across the bed to find she was alone. _Had it all been a dream last night?_ She thought, as she rubbed her eyes with her hand, trying to wake up some more. She sat up, exhaling and yawning and looked at her watch for the time. It was 11am. _Shit_ she thought, hoping that she would have woken earlier. She placed her hands on her back, massaging at it and stretching, causing her chest to stick out in the stringy vest she was wearing – just as she started to do this the door swung open revealing Seeley Booth, croissants and coffee in hand.

"Hey, hey, Bones! Wakey wake…" he stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening at the site of the beautiful stretching woman in his midst; sunlight illuminating her. Brennan immediately stopped stretching and pulled the duvet over herself.

"Booth!" she clamoured. She really didn't know what to say. He was feeling the same way, just staring at her. He faux coughed a bit too loud.

"Morning Bones, jeeze, thought you were gonna' sleep all day." He smiled at her as he set the breakfast down. "Hope you like croissants." She was feeling somewhat embarrassed that she was still in bed and he was up and fully dressed.

"Yea, I love croissants actually." She smiled at him, her eyes still soft from the sleep.

"Good." He let his charm smile broaden, as he brought her coffee to her.

"Thank you." She graciously took the cup and sipped at the hot liquid as she sat up a bit more in the bed, still tugging the bedclothes around her.

"I was down at the area earlier, spoke with the local law enforcement and residents and I gotta' tell ya, they don't seem too forthcoming with information, if you know what I mean…" he trailed off to sip on his own coffee. He was sitting beside her on the bed.

"Well, Booth, you are an outsider and this is a community. They are going to feel violated when a stranger, wielding a badge comes into their territory and demands answers about something they probably and possibly know nothing about." She stared at him.

"I wasn't…wielding my badge…" he pouted and narrowed his eyes at her. "Anyway, get up, get dressed, there's a body for you to look at, and it's not pretty – we all know how you love that" he smiled at her again. She pursed her lips into a smirk.

"Fine, okay, get out then so I can get dressed."

"Use the bathroom" he said, standing up and stuffing a croissant into his mouth. He just wanted to relax with his breakfast in his, her, their own room. _Their room_, he thought to himself. Brennan jutted her lips out in annoyance and heaved a sigh.

"Fine, but could you please avert your eyes as I make my way to the bathroom?" she asked.

"Fuhin" he mumbled, breakfast in mouth, and turning his back as she climbed out of the bed, gathered her bag and made her way to get changed. He glanced over at the door that was closing behind her, but not before catching a glimpse of her naked back as she started to remove the stringy vest. He quickly looked away and swallowed hard. _Dammit_ he thought to himself, trying not to let his thoughts go down that route again. She was Bones – Bones! She was obnoxious and patronising. And she could make his whole body stop, his brain freeze just with a look, a pout, a stretch in bed in the morning sunlight in San Francisco. He shook his head.

"Great Seeley" he said out loud, sipping more of his coffee and pacing around the room.

"Booth?" Brennan called from behind the door, which she had just opened a crack. The shower was running in the background.

"Yea?" he asked, walking towards the door, catching a bare shoulder in the process.

"Um, could you, ah, get me a towel from the closet – I didn't realise there wasn't one in here?" she asked, biting her lip and looking at him through the crack.

"Uh, yea, sure." He breathed out, realising that behind that door stood a naked Bones. He closed his eyes and sighed and fetched the towel and handed it through to her.

"Thanks" she said, catching his eyes for a moment before closing the door. The room was silent except for the shower running and movement from Brennan in the bathroom. His mind was wandering again. He had to get out of that room.

"Hey Bones, I'm gonna' go get some more coffee, mine's gone cold" he called – any excuse not to listen to her in the shower. "I'll be back in a bit." He told her. She didn't answer – _probably didn't hear me_ he thought as he exited the room and headed towards the lobby. He definitely felt a wave of relief as he got to the lobby. He decided it would be better to wait for her there as he found a seat and a discarded newspaper. He settled himself to it.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones (except in my body.)

Author's Note: So many thanks all who have sent such great reviews - muchas gracias, abrazos y besos! Apologies for taking so long to update - my mind went blank on this and I started another story. I have also been busy touring El Escorial and Valle de los Caidos (amazing places!) Today, though, with little to do in a cold cold Madrid, I decided to start writing more and this is what came out. I hope the length doesn't put you off, it wasn't intentional to make it so long :) Hope you enjoy (and more apologies for spelling/grammar mistakes.)

The shower enveloped her. The sleep had done wonders for her – finally she was starting to feel more alert and awake as she massaged her shoulders under the steaming water. As she massaged her body, running the soap into lather, she closed her eyes tight, imagining a man's touch. Her mind's eye flickered to a top-half naked F.B.I. agent from the night before, standing in those goofy pants which were now starting to slowly fall down his legs. She snapped her eyes open wide, water searing into them, stinging and jostling her from the imagery that her mind was involuntarily creating. It had to be her Id, she thought, reasoning logic with Freudian psychological facts.

"I hate psychology" she said to herself and she turned the water off and climbed out of the shower. _What the hell was that?_ She thought, as she caught sight of herself in the steamed-up mirror, her mind trying ever-so hard to understand what had happened. Quickly drying herself off, she exited the bathroom with the huge towel wrapped around her. She eyed the bed, thinking how nice it would be just to curl up on it. _What is wrong with me?_ She thought some more as she shook the idea from her mind. She had slept enough, and furthermore, she had work to do that was pressing. She knew she didn't feel like sleeping in the bed but she changed her train of thought as she quickly towel-dried her hair and pulled on some fresh clothes and her lab coat over it. She tied her hair tight into a high pony-tail and grabbed her kit. As she carried on with the tasks at hand, her mind was trying to rationalise her thoughts of Booth, while she had been in the shower. And if she was perfectly honest with herself, those images had started well before the shower. _It's biological urges, that's all_ she reassured herself; _it's the Id, a want for comfort and Booth is my friend_ she continued some more in her head, leaving the room. _It's natural I would look to a person I spend so much time with_ she contemplated, _But why did my super-ego kick in, as if I was doing something wrong?_ She thought some more. _Damn psychology!_ She growled in her head, affecting her facial expression – turning it into a grimace as she reached the lobby. Booth had looked up from his paper and had been watching her for about a minute, taking in the fact that she seemed to be having some sort of dispute with herself – her eyes kept narrowing and widening and her lips kept pursing.

"What's up Bones?" he called, as he folded the paper to his side and stood up. She hadn't even realised he was there and she jumped slightly, inside her heart.

"You get out of the wrong side of the bed this morning?" he smiled. Her brain was trying to process if there was a right or wrong side of the bed. _How could one possibly know which was the right or wrong?_ She thought. The image of the bed was in her mind again, this time containing a semi to full naked Seeley Booth. She closed her eyes, composing herself.

"How could a person possibly know which is the right or wrong side of the bed? How could that even be determined?" she asked Booth, her images dropping and her scientific enquiry taking precedence. He leaned in close to her. Usually she would move back, to take back her own personal space but this morning she didn't mind the invasion. She quite welcomed it.

"Well…" he began, his breath was coffee, "that depends on your sense of right and wrong I guess." He said, staring into her narrowed blue jewels, his face extremely close to hers. The side of her mouth was pulling into a smirk and he was smiling back.

"Well…" she began, putting her face even closer to his that she grazed his nose with her own, "morality is a social construct and cannot be rationalised. One person may have the idea that murder is right while the other is appalled. It lives on extremes Booth, and cannot be measured by a simple…idea, per se…" Her eyes were wide now, staring at him, creating an even stronger argument. He was still smiling, but she felt that it had turned into a sultrier smile from the first friendly one. His eyes were dark and penetrating. Still in extremely close proximity he licked his lips, causing Brennan to pull back slightly. She stared at his lips, the ones he had just moistened – _for me?_ She thought, but immediately dismissing the silly notion. She wet her lips involuntarily and he stared at hers, in the same way she had done to his. She let out a small sigh, the breath catching between them and Booth swallowed hard. First to break the sexual tension,

"How far is it to the body?" she asked Booth, shaking her head from the inside and moving past him to the exit.

"Within walking distance Bones. About five minutes." He said, groaning inwardly, and shifting his pants. His stomach was butterflies and his heart was pounding and he hadn't even touched her. This woman made him crazy – totally crazy yet he craved it, like an addiction. He knew that old, familiar feeling of compulsion and obsession. Jesus, he had rid it from his system – a clean man. This 'addiction' was different but he still couldn't help feeling more than a tad apprehensive. His last 'habit' had destroyed his life which he had to rebuild from scratch. Somehow, though, he couldn't think that Temperance Brennan could destroy anything in his life, except maybe his arguments. He chuckled softly to himself.

"Are you coming?" Brennan demanded, he mouth pouting, standing in the doorway of the lobby.

"Right behind you Bones" he said, following her outside and pointing in the direction they should walk. The sun was splitting the trees. It definitely wasn't as cold as it had been last night, but the desk clerk had told him that the temperature always drops rapidly as soon as the sun goes down. Five minutes and twenty seconds of walking in comfortable silence they were at the crime scene. Locals had gathered, trying to get a peek at the victim.

"Excuse me" Brennan said, as she pushed past them, Booth at her side, flashing his badge at the police man standing beside the tape. He lifted it, allowing them access. Brennan shot him an "I told you that you were wielding your badge" look and shook her head. He just shrugged at her.

"I need the area cleared" Brennan stated as she pulled on her latex gloves and opened up her kit box.

"Right guys, you heard the lady, clear the area!" he shouted, in his best F.B.I. voice. The remaining police officers backed away, most were looking rather green at the sight.

"The victim is between twenty five and thirty years, approximately. Female. Cause of death is undetermined at this point." Brennan said, sitting hunched over the body, scanning it. She had set her laptop out before she began the initial examination.

"Booth" she called,

"Yea, what's up?" he asked, idling behind her.

"Can you get Zack on the computer? I want to get his opinion on something"

"Sure" he said, fumbling with the keys.

"Just click on the icon that has the Jeffersonian logo" she said, without looking at him.

"Okay, icon…" he examined the desktop, trying desperately to remember what the logo looked like. "A ha!" he announced as he found one that said J/R below it. He double clicked revealing a word file. He scanned the document, glancing at Brennan, who was immersed in her work and looked back to see a journal entry. He read through some of it – it was obviously her thoughts on one of the first cases they had solved together, then he caught his name…

…_So far the investigation has been conducted professionally. My colleagues at the Jeffersonian institute are the top in their field and they know what it is to be professional. As for the F.B.I. agent, Seeley Booth, I am confused as to why they would pair me with someone so opposite to mine and my co-workers' thinking. He is arrogant, rude and doesn't listen. I think there is a strong possibility that he will affect the Jeffersonian's work ethic detrimentally and I don't plan on letting that happen…_

"Booth!" she called, causing him to spin round to her. He clicked the document closed.

"Yea?" he snapped, but not meaning to.

"Did you get Zack?" she asked, expectantly.

"Uh, I…uh, couldn't find the link for the Jeffersonian." He stammered, which was the truth but felt like he was lying.

"Then what the hell have you been doing?" she asked, standing up and obviously annoyed. She pulled one of the gloves off and spun the laptop to her direction and immediately had the link starting to connect with the lab.

"Looking for the logo, obviously" he spat, looking more annoyed than he wanted to. She breathed in silently; ignoring him. Zack appeared on screen.

"Zach Addy, ready and waiting" he announced as he looked at Dr. Brennan on the screen.

"Zach, I know it's you – we've been through this, you don't need to introduce yourself." She said, slightly reprimanding but soft in her approach.

"I'm sorry Dr. Brennan, but what if someone else was calling me and didn't know who I was?" he countered.

"Who else would be calling you from my computer?" she asked, glaring at him. He gulped. "Zach, I'm going to send these remains to the Jeffersonian, they need to be examined straight away. I've collected some particulates for Hodgins. The skull is intact so Angela should have no problem…"

"Hey sweetie" a seductive voice cut in, pushing Zach from the view screen. "How's San Francisco?" She asked, smiling.

"It's fine Angela. There is full skull for you to work with so we'll hopefully know who this woman is fairly soon."

"Hey Booth" Angela said, her seduction never faltering. Booth was standing beside Brennan, listening to the whole exchange.

"Hi Angela" he smiled. Brennan's eyes shifted quickly from her best friend to her partner as she involuntarily scoffed but not audible enough for either of them to hear.

"Zach, we've taken some more pictures of the body - these one's are zoomed in. I'm going to send them to you now. I want to see what you make of the indentations." Zach just nodded as Brennan fiddled with buttons and files.

"So…you wearing the flowers yet?" Angela asked, looking at her friend. Brennan had her head buried over the keys.

"Booth told me what that means – some sort of song about the city? I don't see the relevance of wearing flowers in your hair, or what use it could possibly have" Brennan said, after finishing on the keyboard. Angela raised an eyebrow, first at Zach and then her friend.

"Flowers, my friend" she began, drooling the words out, "are pretty" she finished, letting a sigh wash over her. Zach had both his eyebrows raised, processing Angela's statement. Brennan was just glaring at the both of them.

"I second that" came a third voice from the computer. A smiling Hodgins appeared between Zach and Angela. "Hey Dr. Brennan" he called, "Booth" he nodded, who nodded slightly back at him.

"Hi" was Brennan's only response. "Have you gotten those yet Zach?" she asked, searching the screen to see.

"Yes, they're just coming through now Dr. Brennan." As he pulled the images up on another screen the three squints let out a resounding "wow" Hodgins' being the loudest and Zach's being inaudible.

"What is that?" Angela asked, scrunching up her face.

"It looks like teeth marks, all over the skeleton" Zach surmised, looking over at the screen Booth and Brennan were still on. Brennan nodded.

"Yes, I was hoping you would say that" she said, glancing over at the body that was being carefully bagged in preparation for transport to the lab.

"You already got my opinion that I thought they looked like teeth marks" Booth said, getting defensive. Brennan just furrowed her brow at him and looked back at the screen. "But I guess that wouldn't matter to you" he said, in a mock child's voice. "I'm just an arrogant F.B.I. agent" he said out loud, but not meaning to, continuing with the mock voice.

"What?" Brennan turned her head to him.

"O ho, now you wanna' hear what I have to say" he said, his eyes all wide, his voice raspy. He didn't want to have to explain where that came from; explain the fact that he had violated her privacy.

"What are you talking about?" her confusion was completely sincere, as she stared at him, while the three squints watched their banter like a tennis match.

"What am _I_ talking about? What are _you_ talking about?" he said, nodding, trying to confuse her even more so she would forget his statement.

"What?" she said again, this time more ferociously.

"Sweetie" Angela began, "Are you two having an argument?" she asked, suppressing giggles with Hodgins. Zach just had his mouth ajar, his eyes darting from Agent Booth to Dr. Brennan and vice versa.

"I have no idea what's going on Angela" she said, still not breaking her glare at Booth until he turned his attention away to some officers standing by. She let out a semi-angry sigh. Angela just raised her eyebrows and smirked.

"Where's Cam, by the way?" she asked, only interested because she was always looming about her cases.

"You really want to know where Cam is?" Angela asked incredulously.

"She would probably take great interest in this case" Brennan said flatly, dodging the question.

"Nice dodge Bren. She's at a meeting with the chairpersons of the Jeffersonian and before you start asking me, I don't know anything more." Brennan just looked at her friend.

"Zach!" He snapped to attention.

"Yes Dr. Brennan"

"There is a strange pattern with these marks. Some don't fit with the others. If you look at the left radius, there is a slightly wider bite, if that is what we're dealing with, compared with the right radius. Do you concur?" She asked, examining the picture in front of her.

"I concur Dr. Brennan." He said solemnly.

"Of course the only way to know for certain is to look at the body more closely. I will be back by this evening to do a full exam." She stated.

"Yes Dr. Brennan, we will have everything waiting for you." He smiled as she closed the laptop down. She removed the other glove and disposed of them in a bag in her kit case and started gathering her things. Booth walked over to her, a grisly looking but friendly law enforcement officer following beside. He smiled at her and she returned the gesture.

"This is Dr. Brennan" Booth announced, as they approached. The man winked at her. She couldn't help but scrunch up her face in disapproval. Booth stifled a laugh as he remembered his intrigue at the fact that she disliked people winking at her.

"My name's Sheriff Coslic; Barney to you mam" he tipped his hat and winked again.

"Do you have some sort of blepharospasm?" she inquired, plain and simple.

"Pardon me?" the sheriff asked, not understanding. Booth was in the same position.

"It's an abnormal tic or twitch of the eyelid, usually spontaneous in its assault." She said, looking questioningly at him.

"Bones!" Booth reprimanded, glaring at her. She was taken aback, not knowing what she had done. She simply had explained the meaning for the sheriff.

"I'm a little confused" Coslic said, narrowing his eyes. "Anyway, I wanted to thank you for coming all this way to take this body off our hands – jeeze, it was freaking the whole neighbourhood out" he said, shaking his head.

"You don't normally find dead bodies here?" Brennan asked, as they began leaving the crime scene.

"No sir-ee. I mean, we have dealt with the occasional homicide, but not decomposing bodies beside the beach." He said with a grimace. Brennan nodded as Booth strode beside her, taking the kit box off her hands. Her first instinct was to snatch it back but she was learning to accept his kindness, through time, and not treat it as an 'alpha male' attack.

"Sheriff!" came a shout from behind them, "Come quick!" One of his officers was frantically moving his arms, waving them over. Coslic, Brennan and Booth ran towards him.

"Sir, we were clearing up the site when we tripped over this" he said, pointing and holding his nose. A little frail body, curled up, hair matted all over the face, eyes still open.

"Ah jeeze…" Booth said his eyes saddening at the sight of the little creature. "It's just a kid" He sighed. "And about the same age as parker" he surmised, glancing at Brennan.

"That seems accurate" Brennan stated, trying to get a closer look. The body was completely naked – leaves and soil were spread all over it.

"Female" Brennan said, as she stared at the body. "Poor little girl" she said, swallowing. "This is a job for a pathologist" she announced as she straightened up.

"Should I call Cam?" Booth said, pushing the words out. He always felt awkward bringing her up with Brennan.

"Call whoever you like" She had not meant that to sound so bitchy. Booth bit the inside of his lip, starting to taste a familiar metal. "All I mean is…" Brennan tried to rectify but he cut her off.

"Got it!" he spat as he walked away from her. She stared at his back for a moment. God, how she wished she had just stayed in D.C. but then, looking at the little girl her heart tugged at her chest reminding her that she was there for a reason, to find whoever did this to these people. Booth walked back towards her, ignoring her gaze.

"Bag the girl" he called to the officials, milling about. "We're sending this body to D.C. too."

"Right away sir" came the reply as they began with their task.

"What's your plan?" Brennan asked, lowering her eyes to the ground as he approached. He stared at her for a moment.

"I'm planning on sticking around here and asking the locals and as many people as possible about how a little girl ends up naked, dead and covered in dirt beside a popular beach." He gritted his teeth. He was visibly annoyed – was it just about the case, or was he annoyed at Brennan too? She couldn't tell and hated psychoanalysing.

"Okay, well…then…I should get myself sorted for going back to D.C." she said, eying him cautiously. There was a moment of hesitation from Booth, then he broke.

"O, hey, Bones, you not gonna' stick around?" he asked, trying not to sound like he really wanted her to stay.

"Well…I thought I could be more helpful in the lab" she stated. His face fell slightly and he swallowed.

"Yea…I mean, if that's what you gotta' do" he nodded. She nodded too but her words betrayed that.

"I mean…I can stay, if you think it would be more useful" _Why am I saying this? Of course me being in the lab would be more useful, I think…God! He has me doubting my own logic._ Truth be told, she didn't want to go. She liked being out in the field with Booth. More often than not he really got on her nerves, like earlier – she really couldn't fathom that one. But the thought of going back to the lab where Cam would be ordering her about and telling her the how's and when's of the situation – she didn't even want to stomach that. Was she letting a selfish whim play host to her logical brain? She wasn't sure.

"Well, yea, I mean…I think you would be useful to me here…" she blushed slightly, "I mean…on a professional level" he continued, his heart settling to the palpitations her little blush had caused. "C'mon" he said, putting his hand on her arm and guiding her away from the second crime scene.

"Where are we going?" she asked, walking alongside him.

"Sheriff Coslic said…"

"Eugh, the one with the eye spasm?" she asked rhetorically. Booth pursed his lips.

"What is it with you and winking?" he asked, his intrigue flooding back.

"It's gross" she said, plainly.

"Um, ok…You said that already – why is it gross?" he asked, shaking his head.

"I don't know…it's…icky or something. Like…seedy, or…lecherous…" she said, wincing and scrunching her face up in discontent at the thought. Booth softly chuckled, finding this whole thing so amusing.

"It's not funny Booth, I'm serious" she shot him a glare.

"Jeeze, I know Bones but you gotta' admit it is a little…"

"What?" she was staring at him.

"Illogical for you?" he offered, the smirk still on his face. He had her there. There really was no logic to why she would or should be offended by someone winking at her.

"Still doesn't make it less creepy" she said petchulantly, like a nine year old and jutting her bottom lip out. Booth laughed out loud at this.

"It's ok to not like something just for the sake of not liking it Bones – it's human" he said, touching her arm softly again.

"I don't like doing things just for 'the sake of it' as you say." She said.

"You may not like it Bones but sometimes humanity shines through and you can't help yourself." She didn't like the idea that she had no control over her feelings. She was a rational being, one that dealt with facts. She looked at him and he winked, laughing as he did it. She just scowled but could not help herself from smiling straight back at him. He really did push her buttons but it kept her on her toes.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey, so I know I've been away forever! Sorry about that - moving countries, nevermind houses, does take it out of you. I want to send out a big thank you to JessaBelle87 - you really inspired me to start writing again. This chapter I feel is a kind of filler and a way to get me back into the story and writing again, so I hope it doesn't bore you. I'm hoping to have another chapter up today too, so you get two for the price of one - well deserved considering my absence.

**Disclaimer:** Not mine...

"Dr. Soroyan" Zach called, running after the pathologist.

"Not now Zach, I have another board meeting to attend in ten minutes and I need coffee" She stared at the young anthropologist, who stared wide-eyed back at her.

"B-but Dr. Brennan has asked us to prepare for the arrival of two bodies, well, one body initially then Booth called about a second" he said, still staring.

"Great, do it" she said, and turned on her heel.

"Right. Uh, one of them still has flesh" he said, biting his lip. Cam stopped just before her office. Her mouth quirked as she spun round to face Zach again. A moment of silence passed to what felt like hours for Zach, as his boss glared at him.

"Let me know when the bodies arrive" she said sternly.

"But Dr. Soroyan you said not to disturb you while you…"

"I know Zach but now I'm changing that to 'do disturb me when the bodies arrive' okay?"

"Yes Dr. Soroyan" Cam entered her office and closed the door behind her and rested her body up against it. She was exhausted after being grilled for two and half hours by the board of directors at the Jeffersonian Institute over the nature of their lab assignments. They were considering the removal of funding for their section and splitting the team up and locating them elsewhere. Although she didn't like to admit it, there was a good vibe about their team. She knew that Dr. Brennan and herself had their differences but when it came down to it she was a brilliant anthropologist; the best in her field. She didn't know when this had happened but she had developed such a fondness for Hodgins, Angela and Zach and she also knew how they hadn't stopped working to find a cure for the poison she had ingested via Howard Epps. They meant more to her than just work colleagues, however, she wasn't sure how that was going to sit with the board members. She would have to think of something that would persuade them to let them continue their work. She just didn't have any idea what that could be.

Zach scurried over towards the lab platform and swiped his card to enter the domain. Hodgins was looming over what looked like a sort of seaweed, poking and prodding.

"Hodgins, we have to get the lab set up for the arrival of the bodies" Zach said, while preparing a lab table.

"Bodies? I thought there was only one?" he asked incredulously, finally looking up from the algae.

"Yes, bodies, two in fact. Dr. Brennan told us about the first one and the Jeffersonian received a phone call from agent Booth about a second" he said, never taking his eyes of the task at hand.

"Does this one have teeth marks too?" Hodgins said, standing and walking towards Zach. Zach looked up.

"No. It still retains its flesh. A child I think"

"Oh man" Hodgins shook his head as Angela approached.

"Hey, you aren't that disappointed to see me?" she cocked an eyebrow at him playfully. Zach looked solemn, as did Hodgins. "O god, what's wrong? Don't tell me it's something to do with Brennan" she said all in one breath.

"No babe, Zach just mentioned that another body's been found – a kid" Hodgins said softly.

"Oh god" Angela's permanent grin faded to a noticeable grimace. "What's the state of the body?" she asked both men.

"The second body retains its flesh, so it is more of a job for Dr. Soroyan" Zach said, continuing to prepare the table.

"It's not an 'its' Zach, it's a little person, a he or she" Angela said, visibly distressed.

"But Dr. Brennan told me not to refer to victim's personal details" Zach protested, not understanding why Angela was so annoyed.

"Yea, that's Brennan's way of not dealing with the reality that some little kid has been murdered" She said and walked off.

"Angela!" Hodgins called after her, chasing through the lab.

Zach narrowed his eyes, trying to process the information. He knew Dr. Brennan was right in her approach to the victims – it made more logical sense not to get attached. Although one thing was certain, kids are always harder.


	6. Chapter 6

The next chapter today, as promised :) Hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** Bones in my body are mine, not the show.

"Where are we going Booth?" Brennan asked for the third time, walking a little behind the agent.

"You'll see" he said with a smirk.

"What is the big mystery?" she said, getting tired of the exhibition.

"Just work with me here Bones, okay?"

Brennan just sighed. They had gone back to the hotel to leave her kit back. All she wanted to do was sit down and go over some more of the evidence but Booth had insisted that she accompany him on his adventure. After ten more minutes of walking, up hill, Booth finally stopped.

"This must be the place" he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling and motioning to Bones to go inside.

"A diner?" she said dubiously. "This is the place where my expertise is greatly needed?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

"Well, who else is gonna' tell me about people's blea-spasm thingy?" he said, opening the door for her and directing her into a booth.

"Blepharospasm" she corrected.

"Yea, you see, I would never have got that" he said, smiling at her. She rolled her eyes and sighed while picking up a menu and looking at the contents.

"I hear the blueberry pie is unreal" Booth said, licking his lips and scanning the menu.

"In that it doesn't exist?" Brennan said nonchalantly, briefly glancing up at Booth and smirking.

"Funny Bones, funny" he said, shaking his head as the waitress approached.

"What can I get you folks?" the lady asked chirpily.

"ah, a coffee and a slice of your blueberry pie" Booth said, handing the menu to the woman.

"Ooh, it is unreal, I'll tell ya." She said, smiling at Booth. He grinned back and glanced at Brennan.

"And you mam?" she asked.

"I'll have a coffee and I'll go for the apple pie please" she said, handing her menu back too.

"Ooh, you're missing out dear, like I told you, the blueberry pie is unreal" she said with added emphasis on the last word, stealing another glance at Booth, which didn't go unnoticed by the anthropologist.

"Thank you but I would rather have something real and that exists in my stomach after I've eaten it" Brennan said. The waitress feigned a smile and left. Brennan started hoking through her bag for the pictures of the remains. Booth bit the inside of his lip as he started to remember the document he had found on her laptop. Annoyance seared through him.

"What was that about?" he asked angrily.

"What?" Brennan said, confused.

"The 'I like something to exist in my stomach'" he spat back.

"Well I do" she said with a laugh.

"O come off it Bones" he said, glaring at her.

"What is your problem?! Two minutes ago you found it funny" she threw at him, and glared back.

"Yes, with me, not with a total stranger who is just trying to do her job" he said, screwing up his face into a grimace.

"I really don't see your point Booth" she said, calming herself.

"My point is that you really think you can read people and you call them arrogant but in actual fact it's you who's the arrogant one" he said with defiance.

"How is making a joke being arrogant?" she said, quizzically.

"Jokes are funny Bones, that wasn't. You know, you are the one who's arrogant, rude and you definitely don't listen, not me!" he shot back at her and turned his face towards the diner floor.

"You? What are you talking about? I never said you were arrogant or rude" she said, feeling very dumbfounded.

"Well, I beg to differ. You may not have said it but I know you think it" he said as the waitress returned with their coffee and pie. Relieved to have something else to focus on, he grabbed at the plate and smiled at the waitress, which she graciously returned.

"No, just wait a second Booth, I don't think that. Why in the world would you think that I do?" she said, pushing her pie and coffee to the side and furrowing her brow.

"Just forget it Bones" he said, sipping his coffee and eating his food.

"No, I am not going to forget it Booth, not until you tell me why…"

"Ah excuse me" an older man had approached their table, interrupting Brennan.

"Yes, can we help you?" Booth asked.

"Well, I don't know. You're the FBI right?" he asked.

"He's FBI, I'm a forensic anthropologist" Brennan said, pouting slightly at Booth.

"Ah, I see. Well, it's maybe not that you can help me but maybe I can help you, with your investigation" he said, his head turning to see if anyone was listening. Booth's brow furrowed and his hand instinctively hovered over his gun.

"Do you know something about the murders?" Booth asked, briefly glancing at Brennan, who was looking at the man with suspicion.

"Well, I'm not sure that it actually was murder" he said, taking out a pen and paper and began writing. Brennan and Booth looked at each other, their little spat momentarily forgotten.

"This is my address. Come here, tonight at eight. Just you two though, I don't want that idiot sheriff sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong" he said, sliding the paper over to Booth.

"You have a problem with law enforcement?" Booth said his jaw tensing.

"On the contrary I used to be a sheriff – retired now. It's just the politics and attitude of some people that I can't handle" he said.

"I understand that" Booth said, raising an eyebrow at Brennan, who, in returned, raised one back.

"Well, I must get going. Don't forget about tonight" he said as he left the diner. Booth just nodded.

Brennan took the piece of paper from Booth. He had written his address and his name at the bottom – Charles Theroux.

"That name is very familiar" she said, more so to herself than Booth. "Do you think he's sincere?" Brennan asked.

"I don't know" he said, staring at the door the old man left by. "Well, I guess it's better than nothing" he said, taking out his wallet as he called the waitress over for the bill.

"But he could be leading us on a wild turkey chase" she said with sincerity.

"Goose, Bones" he said, while paying for the food and drinks.

"Goose Bones? Do you not mean goose bumps? Also known as cutis anserina" she asked.

"No, Bones – wild goose chase, you know?" he said, his eyebrows raised. Brennan just stared at him. "Oh, forget it" he said exasperated as they got to their feet.

"Well, I still think it's a risk going to his house. He might be planning a trap" she said, as they left the diner.

"Bones, the guy could barely stand up straight, I don't think he's gonna' be laying traps for us anytime soon."

"I need a gun" she said, as they headed towards the hotel.

"No, you have me, I'm your gun" he said, glancing side wards at her. She just pouted and rolled her eyes. Whatever the man's plans were she just hoped that it would give them some answers, as of yet they were at a dead end.


End file.
